Flexi Says: The mouth is the first organ in the digestive tract, but digestion may start even before you put the first bite of food in your mouth. Why? The sight or aroma of an appetizing dish can stimulate the release of digestive enzymes by salivary glands inside your mouth. The major salivary enzyme is amylase. Once you start eating, amylase begins the chemical digestion of carbohydrates in the food. It helps break down complex starch molecules into simpler sugar molecules. The mouth also plays an important role in mechanical digestion. The teeth help digest food mechanically by breaking it into smaller pieces.